LAPD Officers Sue City Over Release Of Photos, Citing Safety Concerns

Another large group of Los Angeles police officers with sensitive assignments has taken legal action against the city, alleging their safety was impacted by the release of department photographs earlier this year through the California Public Records Act. Prior to the department making the photos available, the officers went to great lengths to keep their identities concealed, according to the Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit filed Tuesday on behalf of more than 140 current or retired plaintiffs identified only as Jane and John Does. "Due to the photo release, plaintiffs now reasonably fear retribution from these criminals which may involve harassment, intimidation, injury and/or death to themselves and their families," the suit states. The plaintiffs have all performed undercover operations and/or plain clothes surveillance, according to the suit, which alleges negligence and failure to perform mandatory duties. The plaintiffs seek economic and emotional distress damages, plus attorneys' fees and costs. A representative for the City Attorney's Office did not immediately reply to a request for comment. The lawsuit follows the announcement in April of a group of more than 300 similar plaintiffs who filed government claims against the city as forerunners to a lawsuit. The LAPD released the officers' images through a CPRA through a request by a Knock LA journalist. The Stop LAPD Spying Coalition, an activist group, then put the photos and other information of about 9,000 officers into a publicly accessible database in March.

Westside Current

Los Angeles Man To Plead Guilty In String Of Armed Robberies

A Los Angeles man is expected to plead guilty Wednesday to sticking up gas stations and markets during a crime spree earlier this year that included a carjacking. Namir Greene, 23, has agreed to enter his plea to one federal count of interference with commerce by robbery. At sentencing, he will face up to 20 years in federal prison, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Prosecutors allege that Greene committed the robberies in Los Angeles County from March 21 through April 15. During the robberies, Greene brandished a gun, threatening to shoot store employees if they did not retrieve money for him from the cash register, according to his plea agreement filed in Los Angeles federal court. Greene admitted in court papers that on April 4, he robbed a Shell gas station in Marina Del Rey by making a purchase and remaining inside the store until all other customers had left. After the gas station was empty, Greene admitted, he placed a brown paper bag on the counter and told the clerk "put everything in there." The suspect pointed what appeared to be a black semi-automatic handgun, but was actually a BB gun, at the clerk while demanding money. In fear, the clerk emptied the cash register and placed $700 into the brown paper bag. Greene said he then left.

Westside Current

Los Angeles Man Arrested, Is Suspected Of Fatally Shooting A Homeless Man In Long Beach

A 40-year-man was behind bars Wednesday in connection with the killing of a homeless man in Long Beach. Los Angeles resident Justin Jackson was arrested Tuesday near the 11000 block of Hoover Street in South Los Angeles, according to the Long Beach Police Department. He was booked on suspicion of murder and jailed in lieu of $3 million bail. He is suspected in the killing of 36-year-old Michael Toloai, who was fatally shot around 4:40 p.m. Aug. 15 in the 3400 block of Andy Street, police said. Authorities who responded to the shooting scene pronounced Toloai dead at the scene. Police said homicide detectives believe Jackson and Toloai were acquaintances, and the shooting was the result of an unspecified dispute. No other details were released. Anyone with information regarding the shooting was urged to contact Homicide Detectives Michael Hubbard or Jesus Espinoza at 562-570-7244. Tipsters who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477.

Los Angeles Daily News

‘That ’70s Show’ Actor Danny Masterson To Be Sentenced Thursday For Rape Conviction

“That ’70s Show” star Danny Masterson could get as much as 30 years to life in prison at his sentencing Thursday for the rapes of two women two decades ago. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo is set to sentence the 47-year-old actor after ruling on a defense motion for a new trial that she’s very likely to reject, and after hearing impact statements from the victims. A jury of seven women and five men found Masterson guilty of two counts on May 31 after seven days of deliberations. Both attacks took place in Masterson’s Hollywood-area home in 2003, when he was at the height of his fame on the Fox network sitcom “That ’70s Show.” The jury could not reach a unanimous verdict on a third count, an allegation that Masterson also raped a longtime girlfriend. The verdict came in a second trial after a jury failed to reach verdicts on three counts of forcible rape in December and a mistrial was declared. Prosecutors alleged that Masterson used his prominence in the Church of Scientology — where all three women were also members at the time — to avoid consequences for decades after the attacks.

KTLA 5

3 Charged In Angeles Crest Highway Killing

Three men have been charged with murdering and robbing a man at a scenic turnout on Angeles Crest Highway in Pasadena in July, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced Wednesday. Luis Ventura, 24, Marco Antonio Hernandez, 18, and Abraham Ernesto Alvarenga Cortez, 21, are charged in the killing of Jesse Enrique Munoz, whom authorities said was shot multiple times at about 3:50 a.m. July 22. The three are also charged with robbing a female who was with the 32- year-old victim, according to the District Attorney's Office. Cortez is additionally facing an allegation that he personally used a handgun. Ventura – who was arrested July 26 by Pasadena police – was initially charged with robbing Munoz and his companion, with the murder count subsequently being filed. He has pleaded not guilty and is due back in a downtown Los Angeles courtroom Oct. 6, when a date is scheduled to be set for a hearing to determine if there is sufficient evidence to allow the case against him to proceed to trial. Hernandez and Cortez are set to be arraigned Sept. 11. A fourth man who allegedly was involved with the crime has not been identified, according to the District Attorney's Office.

NBC 4

Authorities Seek Public Help Finding Southern California Man Suspected In Capitol Riot

Federal authorities sought the public’s help Wednesday to find a 49-year-old man with ties to Southern California who is suspected of taking part in the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Paul Belosic, who also goes by the name Jeff Thomas Redding, is from the Cheviot Hills area of Los Angeles and according to the FBI is also believed to have ties to Mexico and Southern Europe. He allegedly forced his way with other rioters into the U.S. Capitol through the Lower West Terrace tunnel. FBI officials said he was at the front line of rioters making their way into the Capitol, then vandalized a congressional office once inside. Belosic was described as 6 feet tall, weighing 155 pounds with brown hair and hazel eyes. He was charged in November 2021 in federal court with conspiracy, obstruction of an official proceeding, along with aiding and abetting, tampering with documents or proceedings, obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder, theft of government property, destruction of government property and trespassing. Anyone with any information regarding Belosic’s whereabouts was urged to contact 310-477-6565.

Los Angeles Daily News

‘It Has To Stop’: Texas Officer Wounded After Being Shot While Trying To Arrest Repeat Offender

A Texas officer was wounded after being ambushed with a shotgun Tuesday. It’s the sixth officer to be shot while trying to apprehend repeat offenders in the past two weeks, according to a NEWS4SA report. The suspect, who was already wanted on two felony charges, was armed and dangerous. It took SWAT and patrol teams hours to get him into custody. “This is ridiculous. It has to stop. This individual is another case of someone who should have been in jail. This is a danger to public safety having folks like this on the street and this isn’t a one off there’s plenty of other cases out there like this,” Chief William McManus told NEWS4SA. The District Attorney seemed to respond in his office’s defense, saying that he “has to do his job, and that requires being able to prove the cases,” according to the news report. Chief McManus responded that he would not allow the SAPD to accept responsibility for “all these cases being dismissed,” NEWS4SA reports.

PoliceOne

Suspect Sought After 4 Michigan State Police Cruisers Shot At, Set On Fire

Authorities said Wednesday that they are searching for a male suspected of shooting at and setting fire to four unoccupied Michigan State Police cruisers at one of the agency's posts in the Upper Peninsula. The suspect, a white male who was wearing camouflage in footage of the early Wednesday attack, is considered armed and dangerous, the agency said in a plea for the public's help in identifying him. Four cruisers were set on fire at the Sault Ste. Marie Post and some of them were struck by rifle rounds at around 3:30 a.m., said Lt. Mark Giannunzio, a spokesman for the state police district that includes the Sault Ste. Marie Post. He said investigators were still assessing the damage, but that three of the cruisers “are total losses.” “Three of the four were basically destroyed by the fire. He shot at all of them and it's a good chance all of them were hit,” he said. The attack happened in an area of the post that is easily accessible to the public, Giannunzio said. “He literally just pulls into the driveway leading into the post and that's where those four vehicles were parked," he said. The suspect was last seen driving a silver Honda CRV southbound on the Interstate 75 Business Loop, Giannunzio said.

Associated Press

Video: Convicted Murderer Scaled Wall, Climbed Razor Wire In Escape From Pennsylvania Prison

A murderer made a brazen escape from a suburban Philadelphia jail yard by scaling a wall, climbing over razor wire and jumping from a roof in a breakout that wasn’t detected by guards for a full hour, authorities said Wednesday as the killer eluded a widening manhunt for a seventh day. The timeline and details of Danelo Cavalcante's escape — including that he got out using the same route another prisoner took in May — were released as police from various agencies flooded a search zone of increasingly worried residents. A tower guard on duty during the breakout was put on leave as part of the escape investigation. The escape and search have attracted international attention and became big news in Cavalcante's native Brazil. The main newspaper in Rio de Janeiro ran a lengthy story Wednesday with the headline “Dangerous hide-and-seek.” Howard Holland, the acting warden of the Chester County Prison, played a security video at a news conference Wednesday. It shows the 34-year-old Cavalcante standing in a passageway next to the jail yard before bracing his hands on one wall and his feet on another then “crab-walking” up the walls out of the camera's view. Holland said the prison had brought in a consultant after the first escape in May and added razor wire to that area.

Associated Press

Hospital Needs Help Identifying Hit-and-Run Patient Found In South L.A.

A hospital needs the public’s help to identify a patient who was struck by a hit-and-run driver in South Los Angeles. The male patient was brought to the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center after he was struck by a vehicle on Aug. 26. The crash happened in the Broadway-Manchester neighborhood at 11413 S. Main Street. Paramedics arrived around 8:30 p.m. and transported him to the hospital. The man remains hospitalized and is unable to speak. He does not have any information or belongings to identify him, hospital staff said. He is described as a Hispanic man in his mid-50s. He stands 5 feet 3 inches tall, weighs 167 pounds with a medium build. He has balding salt-and-pepper-colored hair, brown eyes, and a beard and mustache. Anyone who recognizes this man or has additional information is asked to call the Harbor-UCLA Medical Center at 424-306-4440.

KTLA 5

FDA Issues Warning For E-Cigarettes Disguised As SpongeBob, Mario Toys And Highlighters

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning for retailers selling illegal e-cigarettes disguised as toys, food items and school supplies. The FDA sent warning letters to 15 online retailers that carry these products designed to look like highlighters, plushies and drink items. “The design of these products is a shamelessly egregious attempt to target kids,” said Brian King, Ph.D., M.P.H., director of FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products. “It’s a tough sell that adults using e-cigarettes to transition away from cigarettes need them to look like SpongeBob in order to do so successfully.” Some of these include cartoon characters like “SpongeBob,” “Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear,” and “Mario.” As the school year starts for many children, the FDA also wants to raise awareness for teachers, parents and families to know of these products. The products being sold online are not authorized by the FDA, “which is a requirement under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act to legally market a new tobacco product.” 

NBC 4

RSV Season May Have Already Begun, CDC Warns, With Early Activity In The Southeast

An increase in the Southeast of respiratory syncytial virus, better known as RSV, may be an early sign of the start of the respiratory virus season. A health advisory issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Tuesday said there were elevated cases of RSV in parts of the Southeastern U.S. Traditionally, increases of RSV in Florida and elsewhere in the Southeast “have predicted the beginning of RSV season nationally, with increased RSV activity spreading north and west over the following two to three months.” Federal data show that the rate at which lab specimen tests for RSV are coming back positive, confirming an infection, has risen to just under 5% for the most recent week available, well above the seasonal onset threshold of 3%. In Georgia, officials noted an increase in RSV-associated hospitalizations among children younger than 4. RSV caused significant problems last year, straining children’s hospitals across California and the rest of the nation. RSV causes 100 to 300 deaths annually in the U.S. in children younger than 5 and between 58,000 and 80,000 hospitalizations. Among those 65 and older, RSV causes 6,000 to 10,000 deaths annually and about 60,000 to 160,000 hospitalizations.

Los Angeles Times

LA City Council Members Propose Streamlining Affordable Housing Construction

Two Los Angeles City Council members introduced a motion Wednesday seeking to streamline the construction of affordable housing on public land. The motion introduced by Councilman Hugo Soto-Martínez and Council President Pro Tem Marqueece Harris-Dawson aims to cut the red tape on this type of construction, which is "often subject to additional bureaucratic steps and lengthy permitting times," according to a statement from Soto-Martínez. "These are vacant and underutilized public lots in the city where we can be and should be building affordable housing," the statement said. "This motion puts us on a track to make that vision a reality by cutting some of the red tape that has led us into this crisis of housing affordability." Most public land in the city receives the land use and zoning designations of Public Facilities Zones, in which permanent housing uses can only be permitted using the zoning densities of nearby zones. If nearby parcels of land are zoned as single-family housing or industrial land, then nearby public land is unable to be used for housing without expensive and time-consuming zoning reviews and permits.

Westside Current

LA City Council Seeks Monthly Reports On Revenue Collected On Measure ULA

The Los Angeles City Council Wednesday approved a motion calling for monthly reports on revenues collected via Measure ULA, the so-called “mansion tax” that took effect in April and adds a 4% charge on all residential and commercial real estate sales in the city above $5 million and a 5.5% charge on sales above $10 million. The council voted 12-0 to support the motion introduced by Councilman Bob Blumenfield in August, which also calls for updates on the enforcement of the tax. Council members Kevin de Leon, Tim McOsker and Monica Rodriguez were absent during the vote. The motion instructs the city’s Office of Finance to report on the Documentary Transfer Tax, which is imposed on all documents that convey property within the cities of Los Angeles County. The county collects the DTT on behalf of the city at the time the document is recorded, and the tax is then remitted to the city and accounted for as part of general fund revenue.

MyNewsLA

About the LAPPL: Formed in 1923, the Los Angeles Police Protective League (LAPPL) represents more than 8,900 dedicated and professional sworn members of the Los Angeles Police Department. The LAPPL serves to advance the interests of LAPD officers through legislative and legal advocacy, political action and education.